Effect of Pineapple Leaf Nanofibers on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Bagasse Sheets

Abstract

Agro-waste pineapple leaves (PA) were extracted into cellulose nanofibers by pretreated with soda pulping process and then disintegrated by microfluidizer. The resulting PA nanofibers with an average length of 1.7±0.5 μm and diameter of 15.5±3.6 nm was then used to improve properties of bagasse (BG) pulp sheets at different contents (0.5, 1, and 5 wt%). The results showed that integration of PA nanofibers increased the density of the sheets but decreased their porosity. With addition of 5 wt% PA nanofibers, BG sheets showed the increases in all tensile properties, especially tensile strength (64%) and elongation (140%). SEM images revealed the smoother surface of the sheets and indicated the reduction of the pores by PA nanofibers filling and bridging between BG fibers network. This increased fibers bonding area in the sheet structures and hence improving their mechanical properties.